Springtime At The Denver Zoo

As Simon and Garfunkel once sang, it's all happening at the zoo, especially during the spring. Yesterday was warm and sunny, and so I headed to the Denver Zoo to take a few photos. Sadly, although the lions were outside in their compound, they were all sound asleep, with their backsides facing zoo visitors the entire time. Happily, the tiger in the photograph on the left was willing to pose for a portrait as it relaxed in its swimming pool. There is now a second female tiger at the zoo, which they hope will mate with the male and produce some cubs, which I of course hope to photograph. A few years ago, there were two baby lions, but they were born during the pandemic, when the zoo was closed, and by the time I was able to visit, they had outgrown their cuteness. Damn that Covid - it screwed up everything.

The clouded leopard in the photograph on the right was pacing back and forth when I was there, but I was finally able to get a photo of it as it briefly looked up at me. This is the male clouded leopard. The female was euthanized earlier this month due to serious health issues. They once shared the same cage and produced some cubs, but after those cubs grew up and left home, they began fighting with each other, and had to be separated, each getting to roam their compound every other day. 

The gorilla in the photograph on the left was not at all interested in interacting with zoo visitors. He just stared straight ahead, back to the wall, no doubt pondering why he was serving a life sentence at the Denver Zoo, so far from his native habitat (Southern California). He finally noticed me, gave a cheery smile, and then went back to staring into space. I believe there are two other gorillas at the zoo, but I didn't see them around - probably inside enjoying the air-conditioning and watching the soaps. I think The Edge of Night was on the tube when I was there, which is a known favorite of primates everywhere. All in all, a very pleasant afternoon, despite the large crowds. It is, after all, field trip weather now, which explained the presence of something like 20,000 kids. But as I have always said, the more the merrier.